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When Exactly Did MTV Lose Its Luster?

With the announcement that Chelsea Handler would be hosting the VMA's this year, I had my normal reaction to finding out that MTV is doing anything--

"Ohhh, that's nice."

I love Chelsea Handler, but it was sort of like finding out that someone you like is dating someone you used to like, but now think of as being lame.

Then again, maybe that's what people were saying back when I loved MTV.

Luckily for me, I feel like I loved MTV during its height.

Yes, I'm talking about the TRL years.

Once Total Request Live went off the air a few years ago, it felt like the last breath coming out of the coffin right before it's nailed shut.

After all, aside from Lady Gaga (who received a record-breaking 13 nominations this year), there really aren't as many polarizing musicians around anymore.

Oh sure, not everybody liked the boy bands of the late nineties, but at least they inspired debate.

The only thing Justin Bieber inspires are lame jokes on late night television.

I think the problem is that so many huge music trends started at once and subsequently fizzled out at once.

The Latin craze, the vanilla-rock craze, the boy band craze, and the Britney-can-still-walk-without-falling-over era all came to a close at the same time, and I think MTV closed with it.

Luckily for the network, they still have ratings juggernauts like "Jersey Shore" to keep them in the game, but let's face it--

They're basically VH1.

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